Resilient gymnastic pole device



April 19, 1966 R. BOGGILD ETAL RESILIENT GYMNASTIC POLE DEVICE 3Sheets-Sheet l Filed Jan. 14. 1963 INVENTOI-. Wwf, ,af/Mw QW April 19,1966 R. BoGGlLD ETAL. 3,246,893

RESILIENT GYMNASTIC POLE DEVICE Filed Jan. 14. 1963 ."5 Sheets-Sheet 2R. BOGGILD ETAL RESILIENT GYMNASTIC POLE DEVICE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 1NVENTOR.

April 19, 1966 Filed Jan. 14. 1963 United States Patent 3,246,893RESIDENT GYMNASTIC POLE DEVICE Robert Boggild and William L. Dale, bothof 5463 Hill and Dale Drive, Cincinnati, Ohio Filed Ian. 14, 1963, Ser.No. 251,225

Claims. (Cl. 272-61) This invention relates to a gymnastic device and isparticularly directed to a device on which energetic children, and evenadults, can find an unusual and entertaining form of exercise.

The invention relates to a resilient device which, in a sense, has thatcharacteritsic of a trampoline, which many people find to be soenjoyable, namely the characteristic of receiving and storing energyimparted to it by a person and immediately returning that energy to thebody of the person to move him about. More specifically, the inventioncomprises a resilient pole, iir'mly anchored at its base, upon which achild can climb. The weight of the child, together with the energy whichhe imparts to the pole as he swings on it, will cause the pole tooscillate or gyrate carrying the child with it.) The variety of4movements is iniinite, the variation being attained in part simply 4bythe distance which the child climbs up on the pole and, still further,by the degree and direction of force which the child applies to thepole. For example, a child can cling to the top of the pole and, perhapswith friends pushing, can swing in a plane in which the pole touches theground at one side and swings through its uppermost position to aposition in which it touches the ground on the diametrically oppositeside of the pole. As another example, a child can grasp the end of thepole with his hands and bound in circles around the pole.

In the prior art, there are rigid poles or other devices which a person'can climb, the devices being mounted on varying typesof bases and beingadapted to move about when the persons impart a force to them.Relatively complex types ofbases have been designed to provide supportfor such rigid poles, each base permittingor imparting some type ofmovement of its pole. In yaddition to the cost of'manufacturing suchcomplex structures, the prior devices lacked an ingredient to which maybe attributed a large part of the enjoyment to` be derived from thepresent invention, namely the whipping-action of a resilient pole. It isthe very fact of the simplicity of the present invention which gives itthis universal type action and distinguishes it from the cumbersome,limited devices of the prior art. In short, the present inventionprovided greater enjoyment at less cost than prior structures.

It has been an objective of the invention to provide, as an amusementand exercising device, a pole anchored in the ground at its lower end'and having a substantial length projecting above the ground, the polebeing formed of longitudinally extending glass bers bonded by a suitableresin. We have found the resin bonded fiber glass to be an idealsubstance for this purpose for several reasons. It'has suiiicientresilience and iiexibility to be bent through an angle of greater thanninety degrees without destroying its physical characteristics. cicgravity, as compared to steel for example, it has a high dampingcharacteristic so that, when bent to the ground and released, it willswing past its normal vertical position through an angle of only aboutthirty degrees and thus will not injure a child through a whiplash.

It has been another objective of the invention to provide a base bywhich the ber glass' rod is anchored in the ground. The `base isdesigned to permit the bending of the rod through an angle of ninetydegrees or more without creating a localized stress concentration aswould tend to cause the pole to break.

It` has been another objective of the invention to provide as agymnastic device a ber glass pole having a plas- Because of its lowspe-v 3,246,893 Patented Apr. 19, 1966 ICC tic sleeve wrapped about itsentire length. The plastic sleeve prevents such scratching or -scutiingof the fiber glass pole during use as might tend to weaken it., itprovides a good hand grip, and it prevents glass bers from injuring thepeople playing on the pole.

It has been still another objective of the invention to provide stepsand means for mounting them on the pole without having to penetrate thefiber glass material,- thereby avoiding the creation of a weak areawhich might be subject to failure.

It has been still another objective of the invention to provide meansfor anchoring the base on the earth. In this respect, we provide twoembodiments, one of them being a removable anchor which will permit thepole to be moved from place to place, and the second `being aninexpensive but permanent mount for the pole.

Not only can the movable anchor be easily installed, but also it can beeasily removed so that it can be shifted from place to place to avoidthe development of ugly, bare spots and mud holes from too much activityin one spot, or so that it can be moved from one home to another.Further, in the case of either the permanent or movable anchor, the poleitself `can `be temporarily removed merely by lifting it out of itsanchor.

It has beenstill another objective of the invention to provide a pole ofthe type described having a trapeze bar mounted at the top, therebyfurther increasing the number of varied activities which can be achievedon the pole.

These and other objectives of the invention will become more readilyapparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawings in which: l

FIG. l is a side elevational view of the invention,

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view, partly in section, showing theconstruction of the movable base,

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional View along lines 3 3 of FIG. 2,

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view along lines 4 4 of FIG. 2,

f FIG. 5 is a fragmentary perspective View illustrating a preferredembodiment of the base of they device and-the manner in which the baseis secured to the ground,

FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view, partly in elevation of abnyalternative form of the pole mounted in a permanent ase,

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary cross sectional .viewillustrating the operationof the lower end of the pole during flexure, and

FIG. 8 is a side elevational view of a trapeze bar which can be mountedat the top of the pole.

In the form of the. invention illustrated in FIG. 1, a polel 10 ismounted in a base or anchor 11, the base being anchored to the ground byan auger 12 in a manner to be described below. The pole 10 is a rodformed of longi-l tudlnally extending glass fibers bonded by a suitableresin,4 and may be manufactured by anyof several known techniques. Aseries of steps 13 are spaced along the-pole about eighteen inches apartso that they can be easily climbed by a small child.

As shown in FIG. 2, the steps are made of a foam or balsa core 14 whichis formed to the proper shape and which is thereafter covered by a berglass cloth and resin shell 15.

Each step is circular in plan view, as shown in FIG. 4, and has acentral hole 16 of approximately the same dii ameter as the fiber glasspole. The steps are supported on the pole in part by spaced, resilientsleeves 17 which are shrunk onto the pole and in part by a suitableresin adhesive between the pole yand the cylindrical wall which formsthe hole 16 in each step. A knob 18 is fixed to the top of the pole toprevent injury vand -to provide a grip for a child to keep himself onthe pole.

The lower end of the pole is removably inserted in the base 11 andengages the base at two spaced apart areas to form a simple beam supportfor the pole. Thr first support area is provided by a steel radialbearing ring 20 fixed at the lower end portion of the pole a smalldistance, as for example, eighteen inches from the end of the pole. Athrust bearing cup 21 is secured to the extreme end of the pole. The cuphas a slot 22 which engages the upper end of the auger 12 and therebyfixes the vertical penetration of the lower end of the pole into thebase 11.-

The base comprises a frusto-conical member 23 having a dependingcylindrical flange at its lower edge. The flange 24 is welded to aflange 25 formed integrally with a circular plate 26. The plate 26 has acentral hole 28 which is coaxial with a central hole 29 in the upper endof the frusto-conical member 23. A socket tube 30 is disposed in thefrusto-conical member 23 and has its upper end welded to the upper endof frusto-conical member 23 at hole 29 and its lower end welded to thecenter of plate 26 at the location of hole 28. The socket tube 30 has alower end portion 31 projecting below the circular plate 26. Two alignedtransverse holes 32 are formed in the lower end portion 31 of the sockettube to receive the upper end of the auger 12.

The frusto-conical member 23 has a pair of aligned holes 35--35 having acommon axis which is slightly offset from the center of thefrusto-conical member 23. Pipe inserts 36 are welded to the member 23and to the base plate 26. The thus aligned pipe inserts 36 are adaptedto receive a rod 37 which passes through the pipes and alongside thetube socket 29 as illustrated in FIG. 5. The rod 37 provides theleverage required to screw the anch-or auger 12 into the ground.

In the operation of the embodiment of FIGS. l-S, the anchor is quitesimply Secured to the ground first by passing the upper end of the auger12 through the hole 32 provided in the tube socket 30. Then the rod 37is passed through the pipe sections 36 to provide the leverage forturning the auger 12 into the ground. Once the auger has started toscrew its way into the ground, turning by means of the rod 37 can bedone until the base ring 25 has cut its way through the turf to bringthe base plate 26 flush with the ground. Thus installed, the augerprevents the base from lifting up from the ground, and the base plate 26provides stability against tilting.

The pole is thereafter positioned in the tube socket 30 with the cup 21having its slot 22 in engagement with the upper end of auger 12. Thus,the pole is prevented from rotating as well as prevented from buryingitself into the ground. When the bearing cup 21 is in proper position,the bearing sleeve 20 is in engagement with the upper end of the socket30 so as to prevent .any wear on the pole during its normal use. Thepole can be taken down at any time merely by lifting it out of thesocket.

Children can play on the pole in the manner illustrated in FIG. l. Thesteps, which are disc-like and resilient to prevent injury, may beclimbed to bring a child, indicated at 39 in broken lines, at anydesired position along the height of the pole. By shifting his positionand his'weight, the child can perform many gyratory and swingingmovements on the pole. The manner in which the pole is mounted at itsbase and its physical characteristics arising from the use of resinbonded glass fibers provides an exciting ride during which the free endof the pole can be bent to the ground without fracturing the pole. Thesefeatures will be discussed in greater detail below in connection withthe embodiment illustra-ted in FIGS. 6 and 7.

In the form of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7, the principleof the invention is the same as that illustrated in FIGS. l-5. The pole,indicated at 40, comprises a rod 41 which is sheathed in a vinyl plasticsleeve 42. The rod 41 is constituted 'by longitudinally extending fiberglass fibers bonded by a suitable resin as described in connect-ion withthe .previous embodiment. The sleeve is shrunk on the rod by forcing airinto it to expand it and sliding it onto the rod while it is in itsexpanded condition and spaced from the rod by the layer of air. When theair pressure is relieved, the sleeve whose inside diameter issubstantially less than the outside diameter of the rod fits tightlyonto the surface of the rod. The sleeve 42 provides a good hand grippingsurface which protects the hands against injury from loos-e glassfibers. Additionally, the -sleeve prevents the nicking or scufiing ofthe surface of rod 41 which might form the ybeginning of a point offailure of the rod after constant usage.

Steps 43 are fixed to the rod and have generally the same appearance asthose described in the previous embodiment. However, the steps areformed land mounted on the rod in a different manner. Each step iscircular and is formed of an upper half 44 and a lower half 45. The twohalves are shaped as cups having radial ribs and are vacuum formed orinjection molded from a high strength thermo-plastic such asacrylonitrile-butadiene, styrene or vinyl-polymer or co-polymer. Thehalves are formed as shown and are glued together as an integral unit.The unit has a central hole 46, the lower portion 47 of which isdownwardly and outwardly flaring to form a fnusto-conical surface. Thehole 46 is substantially larger thanthe outside diameter of the pole`and is mounted on a rubber stopper 48. The rubber stoppe-r 48 is fixedin position by a ring 49 which is adhesively secured to the pole with asuitable resin. The only bonding of the step to the pole occurs `at thering 49 which is of minimum thickness. The bonding over the minimumlthickness .reduces the possibility of breaking the bond through theelongation and contraction of the pole surfaces during the constantflexure which the pole undergoes when it is put in use. -In addition tothe ring 49, the securing of the step to the pole is effected in partlby the cooperating tapered surfaces of the step and the rubber stopper.It can be observed from FIG. 6 that as weight is applied to the step,the tapered surface 47, in moving downwardly with respect to thestopper, tends to squeeze the stopper radially inwardly to force ittightly to the pole surface.

The lower end of the pole 40 is mounted in a tube 53. The extreme end ofthe pole indicated at 54 is fixed in a cup 55 of suitable plasticmaterial, the cfup having a transverse bore 56 through which a rivet 57passes to fix the cup loosely in the tube. The upper end of the tube has-a rubber bushing 58 fixed to it, the bushing having an hourglass shapedbore 59 which snugly receives the pole.

The lower end of the tube 53 with its attached pole 40 is slidably andremovably disposed in an anchor tube 61 permanently fixed in the ground.It should be understood that the tube 53 could also be inserted into thetube 30 of the removable anchor illustrated in FIGS. l-5. Therelationship of the tubes 53 and 61 is such that the lower end of pole40 is elevated well above ground level. In this manner an increase inthe over-all height of the device is obtained through the use of tubing53 which is less expensive per unit of length than is the rod 40.

The tube 61 can be permanently fixed in the ground simply by digging ahole for it and surrounding it with ready-mixed concrete. Preferably, itshould not be mounted in loose earth because the loose earth cannot becompacted suiiiciently tightly around the pole to give it the requiredvertical support. An alternative method of mounting which isconsiderably less expensive than the use of ready-mixed concrete is thatillustrated in FIG. 6. In FIG. 6 are three 8 x 8 x 16 three-holeconcrete blocks 63, 64 and 65. The upper and lower blocks 63 lready-mixed concrete or alternatively with well-packed bank run gravel.The remainder of the hole may also be tilled with bank run gravel orcombinations of bank run gravel, ready-mixed concrete and earth asdesired.

An addition can be made to the upper end of either the pole or the pole4t) to increase the number and variety of activities which can beperformed on the pole. Such an addition is illustrated in FIG. 8 andcomprises a trapeze bar 68 supported in arms 69 of a U-shaped support70. The support 70 has a socket 71 which can` be slipped `over the upperend of the pole 40 and permanently ixed there.

In the mounting of the poile at its base in either the iirst embodimentor the second embodiment, it is important that the mounting be such astoprovide a simple beam support for the pole as contrasted to acantilever support. The principle of the mounting is illustrated in FIG.7. There, the lower end of the pole is mounted in the cup 55 which has aloose tting relationship to the tube 53 in order to permit the cup tomove yangularly with respect to the tube. Similarly, at the upperend ofthe tube 40, the mounting is such as to permit Ythat portion of `thepole i0V engaged by the bushing 58 to tnove angularly with respect tothebushing 53. As a consequence of the mounting, when a force is applied tothe upwardly projecting endV of the pole so as to bend :it all the wayto the ground, the rod at its base has a gradual curvature imparted toit, the curvature being permitted by-t`he two-position m-ounting and thespacing of the tube 53 from the rod 40. This mounting eliminates thelocalizing of stress lat the juncture between the base and the upwardlyprojecting portion of the pole which would cause the pole to fracture.

The mounting permits the use of a suiciently thin lpole of resin bondedgl-ass fibers toy have the needed flexibility, as well as resiliency,but without being subject to fracture.

A variety of sizes of pole diameters and lengths may be chosen. Forexample, a combination which provides highly satisfactory resultsincludes the use of a pole of one and one-eighth inch diameter .and tenfeet in overall length. The cup 55 and bushing S8 which support the poleare eighteen inches apart. The rod 41 is approximately sixty-fivepercent glass fibers which are resin bonded. On this pole, childrenranging from fifty to ninety pounds will be pleased with the ride on thepole in which the factors are so combined. In fact, a further benefit ofa pole of this size has been noted in that it is self-governing as tothe size of the children who can play on it. The older children willn-ot keep the younger children away from the pole for long 'because achild over one hundred pounds will nd the thinner pole insuicientlystrong to give an exciting ride.

The larger children and adults can be accommodated by increasing thediameter and the length of the pole to correspond to their weight rangesand heights.

What is claimed is:

1. An amusement device comprising,

a tube,

a resilient flexible pole vertically mounted in said tube,

a bearing ring spaced from Ithe bottom of said tube and engaging thesurface of said pole, and

a thrust bearing cup loosely mounted in the bottom of said tube andreceiving the lowe-rmost end of said pole, said ring and cup spacing thesurface of said pole a substantial distance from the inner surface ofsaid tube.

2. An amusement device comprising,

tube,

a resilient iiexible pole vertically mounted in said tube,

a bearing ring spaced from the bottom of said tube and engaging thesurface of said pole, and

a thrust bearing means mounted in the bottom of said tube and receivingthe lowermost end of said pole, said ring and thrust bearing meansspacing the surface -of said pole a substantial distance from the innersurface'of said tube, said thrust bearing means and said spacingallowing said pole to flex between said ring and said thrust bearingmeans.

3. A gymnastic pole device comprising,

a normally vertical resilient exible pole,

a support for the lower end of said pole,-

thrust bearing means mounted on said support receiving the lower end ofsaid pole, and

bearing means mounted on said support spaced above said thrust bearingmeans and engaging the surface of said pole,

said bearing means and thrust bearing means maintaining lthe surface ofsaid pole therebetween free from blocking engagement with any supportsurface during the iiexing action of said pole, said thrust bearingmeans and said spacingk allowing said pole to ex between said bearingmeans and said thrust bearing means.

4. An amusement` device comprising,

a socket,

only a single resilient exible pole means of suicient rigidity tosupport a small child and havingv one end disposed in said socket, and

bearing means sur-rounding the end of said pole disposed in said socketand supporting said pole normally in a vertical position,

the resiliency of the pole permitting the pole to bend throughoutsubstantially its entire length through an angle of at least 45 withoutpermanent deformation.

5. An amusement device comprising,

a socket,

means on said socket for anchoring said socket to the ground,

only a single resilient flexible pole means of sufficient rigidity tosupport a small child and having one end disposed in said socket, and

bearing means surrounding the end of said pole disposed in said socketand supporting said pole normally in a vertical position,

the resiliency of the pole permitting the pole to bend throughoutsubstantially its entire length through an angle of at least 45 withoutpermanent deformation.

6. An amusement device comprising,

a socket,

only a single resilient flexible pole means of suiicient rigidity tosupport a small child and having one end disposed in said socket,

steps spaced along said pole, and

bearing means surrounding the end of said pole disposed in said socketand supporting said pole normally in a vertical position,

the resiliency of the pole permitting the pole to bend throughoutsubstantially its entire length through an angle of at least 45 withoutpermanent deformation.

7. An amusement device comprising,

a socket,

a wide base ixed to said socket,

an auger secured to said base for anchoring said base on the ground,

only a single resilient iiexible pole means of sucient `rigidity tosupport a small child and having one end disposed in said socket, and

bearing means surrounding the end of said pole disposed in said socketand supporting said pole normally in a vertical position,

the resiliency of the pole permitting the pole to bend throughoutsubstantially its entire length through an angle of at least 45 Withoutpermanent deformation.

8. An amusement device comprising,

a socket,

a wide base xed to said socket,

an auger secured to said base for anchoring said base on the ground,

means on said base for receiving a lever generally perpendicular to saidsocket for rotating said base to drive said auger into the ground,

only a single resilient flexible pole means of sufficient rigidity tosupport a small child and having one end disposed in said socket, and

bearing means surrounding the end of said pole disposed in said socketand supporting said pole normally in a vertical position,

the resiliency of the pole permitting the pole to bend throughoutsubstantially its entire length through an angle of at least 45 Withoutpermanent deformation.

9. An amusement device comprising,

, a socket,

only a single resilient flexible pole means of su'icient rigidity tosupport a small child and having its -lower end disposed in said socket,

bearing means surrounding the end of said pole disposed in said socketand supporting said pole normally in a vertical position,

the resiliency of the pole permitting the pole to bend throughoutsubstantially its entire length through an angle of at least 45 withoutpermanent deformation,

a pai-r of spaced arms secured to the other end of said pole, and

a trapeze bar secured between said arms.

10. An amusement device comprising,

a socket,

only a single resilient flexible pole means of suicient rigidity tosupport a small child and having one end disposed in said socket, and

bearing means surrounding the end of said pole disposed in said socketand supporting said pole normally in a vertical position,

the resiliency of the pole permitting the pole to bend throughoutsubstantially its entire length through an angle Iof atleast Withoutpermanent deformation,

said pole being constituted by glass bers bonded with a resin and aplastic sleeve snugly surrounding the outer surface of said pole.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,709,630 4/ 1929Rounsevelle 124-23 1,846,891 2/1932 Miller 248-44 1,907,451 5/1933Sibley 272-57 2,168,830 8/1939 Schroth 248-44 2,198,537 4/1940 Jones etal. 272-60 2,209,504 7/ 1940 Beiter 248-44 2,707,936 5/1955 Kiehl 272-57X 2,831,685 4/1958 Stewart 272-1 2,924,420 2/1960 Fink 248-358 2,925,0782/1960 Ryan 124-17 2,949,298 8/ 1960 Speelman 272-1 2,985,450 5/1961Reich 272-70.1 2,997,300 8/1961 House 272-59 3,069,160 12/1962 Bulecki272-1 OTHER REFERENCES Sports Illustrated magazine, Feb 26, 1962, pages10-13.

RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner.

9. AN AMUSEMENT DEVICE COMPRISING, A SOCKET, ONLY A SINGLE RESILIENTFLEXIBLE POLE MEANS OF SUFFICIENT RIGIDITY TO SUPPORT A SMALL CHILD ANDHAVING ITS LOWER END DISPOSED IN SAID SOCKET, BEARING MEANS SURROUNDINGTHE END OF SAID POLE DISPOSED IN SAID SOCKET AND SUPPORTING SAID POLENORMALLY IN A VERTICAL POSITION,